Different, But Beautiful {closed}

"Sunflower?" Leaftwirl mewed, peering into the warrior's den with determined yellow-green eyes. She had been up since dawn, hunting on her own, still wary of the freedom warriorhood had brought her. Usually Amberdawn or Tinystar would have accompanied her, and maybe they'd chat beneath the branches. But Leaftwirl had trekked out alone, snagging a mouse and a crow, purring lightly at the green leaves rustling against her pelt. It had been a bittersweet silence, one that seemed to define her recent state of mind. It wasn't lonely, but rather solemn. The brown and white tabby had sat for a while, ears pricked, watching the forest sway with the wind, thinking back to how she used to imagine its full-bloom beauty in leafbare. And now here she was. Disappointment was not an emotion that crossed her mind, but it was different. Hunting on her own gave her time to think of her late mother, and her friends who seemed shocked at her recent change of pace. Leaftwirl had been almost painfully productive, always on patrol, always volunteering to help the clan out when necessary. And while her business worked as a distraction from the ever present grief, she felt strange. Happy, but strange. Returning back to the camp was whimsical, and the new warrior brought her two catches to the elders and queens, purring as they thanked her. The gratitude felt good, having a purpose felt good. Leaftwirl was tired, yet sturdy. But even her drive to be more efficient could subside sometimes. One of the least efficient cats she had ever meant had to be Sunflower. And she giggled at the thought. That lanky white tom with ears almost as wide as a tree trunk. And he was goofy, and Leaftwirl liked that.

Maybe it was because of her rebellion against Wolffang's scathing words. The ones that cut into her pelt, and told her to be worthwhile. And as much as she despised the insult, the warrior had taken it to heart. And it had shown. But Wolffang also seemed to disapprove of Sunflower as well. She called him worthless, and Leaftwirl wanted to rebel, to show that angry, starry cat that he held value. And that she did as well. No, they may not catch as much if she had gone out on her own again. But Sunflower was her friend, and lately, Leaftwirl had been missing that social interaction she thrived off of. "Sunflower, wake up!" Determined, the brown and white tabby tugged on his moss nest, practically pulling him with it. "We're gonna go hunting! It'll be great, I promise. We can go to that pretty creek that cuts through the territory!" Without waiting for the tom to respond, she bumbled out of the warrior's den, a grin on her face. Joy had found her once more, and it didn't sweep the grief away, but rather, the two emotions had twirled into each other, creating something much different, but just as beautiful. Leaftwirl figured it came with a sense of maturity as well. Her motivation to serve her clan had shot into the sky, and while her mind still bubbled like it once did, there was a net to keep her thoughts intact. Perhaps everything would turn out alright.

Having been fast asleep, the sudden sensation of being dragged off of his nest caused the utmost confusion for Sunflower. One moment, he was sleeping peacefully, one of the only things that would keep his mind off the worries of the world, and the next moment he was floundering about outside the warrior's den with some-cat blabbering on about something or another.

While the sun wasn't too high in the sky, it was still at an uncomfortable brightness, and squinting to see through the light, he spotted Leaftwirl just a foxlength away. So that was why he'd recognized the voice. Standing up and giving his short, pale pelt a shake, the lengthy tom stumbled towards the she-cat, his still adjusting to the sudden change in scenery.

"Leaft-twirl," he yawned, showing a maw full of pearly white teeth. "What in St-StarClan's name a-are you doing?" Sunflower mumbled, his long tail tucked under his legs and his abnormally large ears twitching every so often. He didn't mind being in the company of his good friend and would much rather spend time with her than any other cat, but he was still confused as to how some-cat could be so ready to jump up and go at this hour.

The stuttering tom finally awoke and Leaftwirl flashed him a smile, laughing at the way she made him nervous. Not all cats had been insulted by Wolffang on their moonstone journey, and perhaps that was why Sunflower didn't ever wake up this early. He didn't make for a good warrior, but Leaftwirl would never tell him that. He did make for a good friend, and the shared trauma between them was something rare and valuable. Having already done some hunting, it was time to do some teaching, and this time, she'd be sure Sunflower carried his weight when they returned to camp. "I'm taking you hunting silly! Come on! We haven't hung out since-" Since their mothers died. After the flood, all of SkyClan seemed reserved, different. Some had recovered faster than others, but it had taken Leaftwirl quite some time. Ironically, what had pulled her from her grief was anger, anger at StarClan for rejecting her efforts. They had called her inadequate. A failure. And now a determination had sprung inside Leaftwirl. She was driven to live and love, to prove to StarClan that she was enough, and perhaps she'd take Sunflower along with her.

"Just follow me? Please?" Leaftwirl giggled before bounding out of camp, listening to Sunflower's pawsteps behind her. The trees swayed with the wind, leaves falling and spinning to the floor. Birds sang chittering songs and the she-cat smiled. They arrived to the Moonlight Creek some time later, jumping over a few fallen trees. The water gushed higher than Leaftwirl had ever seen it before. Memories of the flood still danced in her mind, and she blocked out the thoughts before they could drift to Tigerleaf's fate. Her mother was in StarClan now. She was in peace. "Isn't it pretty?" She whispered to Sunflower, coming to stand by his side. "We'll stay out here all day until you catch some prey to bring back to camp! Don't you want Tinystar to be proud of you?" Leaftwirl gave him a nudge, hoping that his StarClan ancestors were watching as well. "And then once the sun sets, we can watch the river sparkles!" She flashed him a grin, knowing what she was about to do. "Alright! Three! Two! One! Last one to catch prey is crowfood!" An old game she used to play with her friend, and now that she was grown, who says they couldn't play it anymore? Laughing to herself, Leaftwirl bounded off through the forest, wondering if Sunflower could win the game.

Fumbling through the camp entrance and after Leaftwirl, Sunflower stretched open his maw and let out a much deserved yawn. They were going hunting at the crack of dawn? Even the birds wouldn't be awake this early! Well, better now than never... though it still seemed a tad on the early side to him, but at this point, it didn't look like he had a say in the matter and knew he just had to suck it up and go with it.

Picking up the pace, Sunflower trotted after the energetic she-cat until they reached the Moonlit Creek. It's memorizing waters streamed through the forest, giving life to all in it's path. StarClan, though mysterious at times, truly blessed them with such a beautiful and plentiful territory, something that he knew the other clans wished they had.

Nodding in agreement to Leaftwirl's comment about it being pretty, he turned his somewhat odd shaped head in her direction as she continued. An entire day with Leaftwirl... was this a dream come true? Before he was able to say anything in response, she'd darted off, clearly very eager to get started. She seemed happy, but the more he thought about it, there was something... off about her, though he shook the thought away. It was probably just a lack of sleep from all of the work she'd been getting done around camp.

Walking away from the creek, Sunflower grew lost in thought as he made his way around the area. Of course he wanted to make his father proud, considering all of the disappointments he'd caused in the past. He wasn't the greatest hunter, that was for sure, but it wasn't like catching a bird or a squirrel was impossible, and he would make sure to do his father and Leaftwirl proud.

Not long after his tour through the base of the trees, Sunflower caught the scent of prey nearbye. Crouching down as far as his abnormally twig-like legs would let him go, he stalked forward and soon enough, spotted a squirrel nibbling on its' breakfast, clearly not paying attention to its' surroundings.

Stalking forward, Sunflower waited a few moments, his haunches wiggling back and forth in calibration. Just a few more moments of patience...

Pouncing forward, the tom's big paws landed squarely onto the squirrel's shoulders. With a swift bite to the neck before it could let out a squeal, he'd successfully caught his first piece of prey for the morning. 'Not a bad way to start the day,' he thought to himself as he buried his kill.

Sunflower attempted to catch a squirrel and was successful. -3 SP

Sunflower
HP: 40/40
SP: 117/120

The member 'Ice' has done the following action : Dices roll

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'Hunting Dice' : 5

Birds chittered overhead as Leaftwirl padded quietly through the forest. From behind, she could hear the rustling of leaves and wondered if Sunflower had managed to catch something. If he did, there was no way she could find her way back to him empty-pawed. Determined now, the brown tabby found a sturdy pine tree and began to claw her way up, her feathery tail flicking behind her. From this point of view, the new warrior could witness all of SkyClan's territory. Green stretched out as far as her eye could see, and the gurgling of the moonlit creek ran by in the distance. A gust of wind had the nettle branches swaying, and she twisted to sit on top of one, purring with the sight. The morning sun, leaves floating in the air, and bird singing songs of hope. Things were looking up, and Leaftwirl was ready to feel better.

The promise she had made to Wolffang further increased her determination, and perhaps it was that fire that had pulled her out of her grief. It hadn't blinded the tabby to her past life however, as she still marveled at the blue sky, and smiled at the green leaves Amberdawn had promised in leafbare. The warmth really had come, and what she would do with it now was a mystery. Leaftwirl knew one thing for sure, no matter how many seasons passed, she'd continue to better herself, to get stronger and faster until her last breath, and finally Tigerleaf would be proud once more. Leaftwirl found the tall branches made for a good thinking spot, and it had been a while since she looked straight at her resolve. It was healing, and the tabby felt good.

The song of birds seemed to carry itself to Leaftwirl's ear as a crow landed on a branch close to her. The black winged thing had begun picking at the bark, searching for grubs or a dinner of some sort. Leaftwirl narrowed her eyes and stilled her breathing, ever so slowly changing her position on the branch ahead. Another gust of wind sent the crow fluttering to another perch, this time above the she-cat. It seemed to have missed her however, as it began mindlessly picking at the bark once more. Watch me, Wolffang... Leaftwirl nodded to herself, determined to make this catch. It wasn't every day when the prey came fluttering into her paws, however this prey proved to be in a tricky spot. Jumping into the air, Leaftwirl twisted behind her perch and clawed up to the crow's, but missed as the black feathery beast fluttered off into the sky. "Mousedung." She squeaked, frowning. It would be embarrasing to find Sunflower in this state, but perhaps he needed a win. Smiling to ignore the feeling of defeat, Leaftwirl slid down from her tree and padded back to the moonlit creek, accepting her fate as crowfood, crowning Sunflower the winner. "I hope you caught something because mine got away..." Leaftwirl mewed, bashful. "I guess you win the game!" She gave the lanky tom a smile, happy her clanmate and friend managed to make a catch, and determined she'd do so next time.

Leaftwirl leapt for a Crow and missed! Costing 3 stamina.

Leaftwirl:
HP: 40/40
SP: 117/120 (-3)

The member 'lemongrass' has done the following action : Dices roll

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'Hunting Dice' : 9

Looking up from his paws, Leaftwirl's voice caught his attention and to his disbelief, she'd returned empty-jawed. She didn't seem like some-cat to not come back with anything, but maybe it just wasn't a good time of day to hunt. Besides, it wasn't like he could blame her, seeing as though he was the mousebrain who usually found hunting to be difficult.

"I-I bet you're a-a great hunter," Sunflower mewed, a bashful smile practically reach the length of both of his abnormally large ears. "I bet you'll-you'll catch ten pieces of prey next time," the meek voiced warrior chuckled. He was far from being anywhere near playful or a jokester, but when it came to spending time with the molly, something deep down inside him surfaced, as if he was able to relax when around her. Well, of course such a feeling was feeble and never lasted very long, but it was a step, and StarClan knew Sunflower would take all the baby steps he needed.

"S-so what now?" he asked, tilting his head to the side curiously, his large, goofy ears flopping to the side as he did so.

"Well you're the winner!" Leaftwirl exhaled, flicking her ears with a paw. Sunflower was as shy as ever, but she found his complements endearing. Her eyes flickered over to the spot where the tom had buried his prey, the mound of dirt still loose and tall. "We should probably add to that!" Leaftwirl commented, knowing that complements couldn't show her worth to StarClan. Friendship was nice, and she appreciated Tinystar's son's company. However she was growing. The warrior found more and more often that the fluttery things of life couldn't fill her heart completely. Yes, she still loved the whistle of the trees, and still found glory as the birds sang. But that didn't bring her fulfillment. Whimsy, yes. But a sense of purpose? No. And Leaftwirl had been so blind to it before, she almost wanted to scold her old self for hanging on such things. But the truth was, those bubbly things like birds and leaves were Leaftwirl's heart. And her desire to prove herself was her brain. Was it so wrong to mold the two into one, living breathing cat? Was that who Leaftwirl wanted to be?

"It can probably wait..." The warrior mewed, a smile growing on her maw. The day had grown almost hot, and the wind in the sky didn't quite flow as well in the foot of the forest. Leaftwirl eyed the moonlight creek, feeling cheeky. The water was shallow, and the creek wasn't nearly as wide as the one on RiverClan's territory. "Let's have some fun first!" No longer wanting to fight between her emotions, the tabby charged toward the stream, bounding into the shallows to allow the water to rush over her paws. It was so hard. So hard to pretend, to try her very hardest. Leaftwirl was tired. Her paws, now cool, were sore. And today, just for one day, she'd have her fluttery adventure. It was a cheat, a ploy. And tomorrow, the warrior would try again. She'd please StarClan once more. But Leaftwirl didn't now how to live like she wanted to.

"Jump in with me scaredy cat! It's cold in here!" So she'd find out, one step at a time. The water sparkled in the sun, leaves drifting on its surface, floating down the current as Leaftwirl made ripples with her tail. Laughing, she dipped her head under the current, coming to the surface and gasping joyfully as droplets flowed down her long fur. Joy. Pure joy. The hiding under pine trees kind of joy. The wishing for Greenleaf kind of joy. And Sunflower was here to see it. Oh he'd have fun, the tabby would make sure of it. Giggling, the she-cat flicked a stream of water at the tom, living as truly as she used to. There was balance, a sturdy relationship between the whimsy and the facts. And Leaftwirl wondered if she could carry them. Of course. For StarClan. "Sunflower! Have fun with me! How long has it been since we've done something like this?" A cat like Sunflower held no conviction. No drive and no need to scold her for living. He was a shadow, a friend who didn't judge; a friend who watched and accepted. Submissive, yes. However Leaftwirl knew she could experiment with her life around him.

Watching Leaftwirl pounce into the creek like a happy-go-lucky kit on their first day out of the nursery, Sunflower stepped forward. Standing at the shoreline, he glanced down onto the clear water and watched his reflection as if there was another cat staring back up at him. Such a moment of tranquility didn't last for long, and the ripples from Leaftwirl's play turned his echo into little waves that hit up against his paws.

"O-okay," he mumbled upon her begging for him to join her. Obviously not about to jump in, Sunflower stepped into the water one paw at a time, the cold sending a short lived yet uncomfortably shock up his spine. Looking towards the she-cat once more, he let out a sigh. No cat had been in such an oddly optimistic mood since the flood and death of his mother, not even the kits it seemed... So what in StarClan's name was wrong and why was such happiness, something that he should've appreciated, so unsettling?

"L-leaftwirl..." the lengthy warrior began, unsure of how to put his thoughts into words as he sent sand up to surround his paws from shuffling them back and forth. "What... what is this?" he mewed, looking up from his submerged paws and to the she-cat, his large ears flat against his head. He may have been a ditsy, clumsy, coward, but for whatever reason, StarClan had given him a knack for telling when something was up. And this, whatever this was, was definitely a red flag.

The few silent moments after Leaftwirl's request that had reached the air killed her. However long or short they were, the tabby didn't know. But her breathing quickened and her heart raced until Sunflower finally answered with a shaky "okay." His lanky form lowered itself into the creek ever so slowly, but an answer had been spoken, that was good enough for Leaftwirl. The silence that filled the space around them left room for criticism. And she was sure Wolffang must be watching. A slight chuckle to reveal her hesitation, and Leaftwirl knew Sunflower had taken note. "Sunflower I..." She stumbled at his inquiry, the creek water now feeling like a prison. Oh, how confused she was. The forest called to her and yet her wariness of it made by her own accord scared her. It was a difficult thing, to strive for pride from her ancestors, and yet to live as they did on this earth. She wondered what Tigerleaf did with her life before Leafkit had been born. She wondered of Wolffang and Condorshade. What great stories they must've had. And here Leaftwirl was, frolicking in some pool. The starry droplets only ashamed her now. And yet why should they? The territory was beautiful, and the trees sang songs of glory. Leaftwirl remembered playing hide-and-seek in the pines with Amberdawn. She remembered wishing for Greenleaf with Sunflower, and Swanpaw. And yet here Greenleaf was, but StarClan, how things had changed.

Maybe she'd be better had Tigerleaf not died. And maybe she'd be even more fluttery than before. But Leaftwirl knew one thing, she was a better warrior for it. As much as Wolffang's words stung, they has motivated her. And she was confused, yes, but maybe that was normal? Leaftwirl lifted her head to the sky to watch the sun, green eyes glazing over. Oh, the things she wished to ask her mother. How was she to become a great warrior if she couldn't find the definition of one? Sheepishly, the brown tabby lowered her eyes to Sunflower, swallowing with apprehension. "I don't know who I am..." She whispered, so quietly it could be swept away by the wind. "You... you know who you are, you're a scaredy cat!" Leaftwirl meant no offense, and found herself in a haze, beginning to pace in circles in the creek. "And maybe you're not a good hunter or fighter, but you're a cat. You're living and breathing and you have some sort of direction, right?! Her voice began to wobble, a lump forming in her throat. Suddenly the trees seemed cold, and the creek felt like frost. Stepping closer to the shore, Leaftwirl gingerly pressed her head into Sunflower's chest, just as she did when their mothers had died. No, he wasn't Amberdawn, nor was he her mother. But Sunflower was closest in proximity, and maybe that was all she needed. "Sorry... I meant to take you hunting and now I'm crying." Her voice broke off in the end as a chuckle, suddenly realizing how ridiculous this was. Oh life, what did it even mean? This was just a creek and these were just tears. In a way, it was funny. And maybe that was the only way Leaftwirl could make light of the situation. But right now, in this moment, she was laughing. And it felt good.

Water gently lapping against his legs as the two of them stood face to face, Sunflower knew his intuition was right. Of course she wasn't alright, no one was ever "alright." Meeting her light green eyes, he listened as she continued, his large ears soaking in every word spoken, even the ones he didn't think he'd heard, especially from her.

"You're a scaredy cat!"

Leaftwirls words hit him like a sharp thorn, but she was one hundred percent true. He was a scaredy cat. Was he proud of it? Of course not, but it was who he was, whether he liked it or not. Come to think of it, he'd never really thought about his identity much, except that he was an obvious disappointment to his father and kin. He wasn't mad at her, of course, for simply stating the obvious, but he did grow somewhat confused. He was a cat, but so was she. So what was the problem? It wasn't like she wanted to be a rabbit or something... or did she?

While he enjoyed the contact and comfort of Leaftwirl pressed against him, the tall tom took an ever so small step backwards so that their gazes could meet. He hated seeing her cry, he truly did, but even so,

"Well that's m-mousedung," he began, growing somewhat annoyed and confused with the lack of confidence she had in herself. How could she possibly not know who she was? She was certainly a valued warrior of the clan, he was positive of it.

"You're L-leaftwirl of SkyClan. Daughter of Condorshade and Tigerleaf; a respected m-member of SkyClan," Sunflower continued. He was never good at providing compliments, which made a situation such as this favorable, for he was simply stating facts, a task far easier than having to dig through his heart for what to say. "If you th-think you don't have a direction in life, -llook around," he mewed, motioning with his muzzle to the forest that surrounded them, before looking back down at Leaftwirl. Great StarClan, what had gotten into him that he felt the need to speak so much in such a short amount of time?

"Y-your direction is to live. To be a clan c-cat, to serve your clan with all of your heart, till your dying breath. I-it may not be the most exciting life, b-but we're all in it together. We pro-protect one another, young or old, sm-smart or d-dumb, brave o-or scardey cats," Sunflower kept on going, having felt as though was stirring in his heart.

"If anyone's to not know who th-they are, it'd be me, trust m-me. J-just look at me. I-I'm a walking tree with the heart of a m-mouse," he mewed, somehow managing to crack a chuckle, which was highly unlikely for him to ever do, but the faint smile quickly turned back to a serious frown. "But I keep on going... on h-hunting and fighting, not because I enjoy it, b-but because it's what I was m-made to do. It's m-my purpose, and your's t-too," the warrior finished softly, lifting a large paw and gently poking Leaftwirl's check, as if motioning towards her heart.

While he felt empowering in the moment, Sunflower's head dropped almost immediately after and he went back to staring at his paws. 'Oh Silverpelt, please never have me say so much again,' he prayed silently. Of course, he knew what he said would help the situation, seeing as though he wasn't sure if the she-cat got any other words of affirmation such as this elsewhere, but now that it was all said and done, he found himself breathing heavily; terrified on if he'd said the wrong thing.

Leaftwirl lifted her head from Sunflower's chest, watching as the lanky tom took a step back to gaze at her. Feeling almost embarrassed at the state of herself, the warrior ducked a little, wiping her tears with a paw. Her ears pulsed for a moment, and her cheeks grew hot, but the emotions were quickly washed away by the feeling of shock as Sunflower finally spoke. The words that flowed from his maw were insightful, practical things that the she-cat never knew he possessed. Tinystar's son was usually dismissed as a coward. It didn't mean Leaftwirl liked him any less, but it had been so easy to fit him into that description. But as the tom spoke, he bloomed with more layers then the warrior could have imagined. She gazed at him and found his shell more complex than it had been when they left camp. While it deepened her understanding of him, she now felt almost guilty for trying to wedge the tom into a flat description when she herself was many, many things.

Leaftwirl wondered if that was how most cats lived, wearing different badges on their pelt as they became both brave, kind, and loyal. Maybe it was truly possible to be a friend and yet be a warrior as well. And the she-cat sniffed, wondering if the two things would compute. Sunflower had certainly showed his true colors in the morning light, was it now her turn? The tom was right, of course. They were made to hunt and fight, Tigerleaf did not birth her in vain. Leaftwirl gazed down at her claws flexing into the dirt and knew this was a task she could do. However her eyes flickered to Sunflower, and wondered if she could frolic in the grass with him too. Would Amberdawn want to hide under pine trees again? Or maybe Swanpaw would like to journey through the snow? She was born to be a warrior, and yet she was living to be a friend. Giving Sunflower a big grin, Leaftwirl wiped away the last of her tears and flicked him lightly with her tail, shaking out her wet fur. "Thank you." She spoke quietly to him, padding forward a bit to gingerly touch noses. "You don't have to speak anymore if you don't want to. What you said was enough." Nodding with her head, she directed they head back to camp, thinking about the path ahead. The birds sand and the ferns rustled, and the she-cat closed her eyes. It was the same feeling she felt when her mother died. Not sadness, but a realization of the vast healing ahead. She couldn't sit and wait for it to happen. It needed to be taken in stride. Some days had been hard, and others had been easier. But just as she now bore healthy scars from the loss of her mother, maybe her wounds from age would heal too. She would find it along the way. Not with leaps, and not with claws. But with a supported mind, and friends by her side. The cat looked at Sunflower and knew better days were coming

Continuing to gaze down at his large, bony paws, Sunflower's ears perked up when Leaftwirl touched her nose against his, and he immediately felt his ears grow hot. Looking to the she-cat as she spoke, a small, bashful smile grew on his long muzzle. While speaking so many words at once was terrifying, he was glad that he was able to help her, or at least he prayed that he'd been at least somewhat successful in doing so. He knew how hard it was to find your place within the clan, but if she just stayed herself, she'd learn to know her purpose, someday or another.

"Y-yes, let's g-go," he mewed, his voice having returned to its' former, meek self. Turning around, the two of them began their journey back home. Both of them had grown closer that evening, in some form or another, and a warm, fuzzy feeling resided inside Sunflower, one that he had yet to encounter. It was an odd sensation, but as they walked onward, he grew to accept it, realizing that such a relationship with a cat like Leaftwirl was definitely something worth cherishing.